Books For Growth

[chalambok]

Anyone who has followed my growth on this forum knows that I seek to always encourage discussion, believing that one can only form an opinion after having heard many views. I am going to start this thread as a book recommendation site, and encourage other contributors to post favorite books with or without a review or an opinion. Some of my favorite martial arts/personal growth/of interest to a martial artist books are listed today.

MUAY THAI - The Most Distinguished Art of Fighting by Panya Kraitus and Dr Pitisuk Kraitus

THAI BOXING DYNAMITE - by Rebac Zoran

UNMASKING THE FACE - by Paul Ekman and Wallace V Friesen

JOURNEY TO IXTLAN - by Carlos Castaneda

A GUIDE TO MARTIAL ARTS TRAINING WITH EQUIPMENT - by Dan Inosanto

THE BLACK MARCH - by Peter Neumann

SHIBUMI - by Trevanian

THE USE AND MISUSE OF LANGUAGE - by S I Hayakawa

ENDER'S GAME - by Orson Scott Card

[Szczepankiewicz]

chalambok..... your growth on the forum? You mean with all fifty-some posts!

See my comments here

Now, down to bidness....


Hard-Won Wisdom from the School of Hard Knocks by Alain Burrese

Real Fighting - Peyton Quinn

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: The Master Text - Gene Simco

Spank-O-Matic

[chalambok]

hey Szczepankiewiecz, where were you when I was teaching muay Thai and Krabi-Krabong in Boise back in '95? Unfortunately I am not an 'Advanced Website Master' but rather a novice at this martial art. What have I been doing with my time?
Parachutist Badge - April 1971
Bronze Star - November 1971
Combat Infantryman's Badge - November 1971
Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry - November 1971
Air Medal - May 1972
Instructor Certification in Muay Thai by Surachai Sirisute - June 1986
Bodyguard Certification from Executive Security International - October 1988
3rd Dan Niiyama Bujutsu - January 1993
Ajarn Certification in Thai National Martial Arts by Grandmaster Samai Masamarn of the Buddhai Sawan Swordmanship Institute of Ayuthaya - 1998

I don't know how I ever existed without this website. Oh yeah, I also went to music school in San Francisco for a year and completed a 5-year apprenticeship with the Millwright's union. I was told by Master Chai to charge $600 a day plus expenses for my seminars. What is your worth?

[Szczepankiewicz]

Even if you are a decorated war hero who was serving our country before I was born, I still say Oregon City sucks!

95, that was pre MA for me.... When are you coming back?


$600 a day? That's too rich for my blood. Maybe if I keep talkin' trash OLD MAN, I can get my ass kicked lessons for free???


Wait a minute, are you telling me my virtual ninja skills aren't as important as I think they are?

Dang....

Spanky

[OctaviousBP]

These are the books I brought with me traveling, or picked them up on the road.

The heart is a lonely hunter - Carson McCullers

It was written by a 23 year old woman in the 30's. It's about people who "know" and those who don't. Definately one of my favourites.

The little prince - Antoine de Saint-Exupery
(available for free at http://pujon.kimc.net/sumgim/vianco/little/1.html)

Great book about the wisdom of innocence. I assign this to some of my more gifted middle school children (english isn't their first language). I never get tired of it, and each chapter is a good lesson in life.

The Prophet - Khalil Gibran
(available for free at http://www.columbia.edu/~gm84/gibtable.html)

Much like The little prince, each chapter is a lesson in life, however this one almost reads like a reference manual. Each chapter is broken down by heading (within the story). Not meant to be a cover-to-cover read.

The Demon - Hubert Selby Jr.

This book is about suffering. It actually would make me nauseous to read this book, because Selby does such a good job of getting you inside the character of Harry Black. If "Requiem for a dream" disturbed you, this goes to the next level. It's kind of like a more psychological "American Psycho" and it came out years before the novel that movie was based on.

The miracle of mindfulness - Tich Nhat Hanh

My girlfriend got me this book when life away from home was getting to me. It's a guide on meditation written by a monk for a brother at another monastery. The translation is great, and it's a lay read.

Hagakure - Yamamoto Tsunetomo
(available online free at http://www.hut.fi/~renko/hag1.html)

Although it was written by a Samurai who never even saw battle, I couldn't resist picking this up as I stood in Nijo-Jo castle in Kyoto, the home of the Tokugawa Shogunate. Plus it worked for Ghost Dog.

That's all for now, though I know I've forgotten some.

D

[holte2]

chalmbrook

*spoken in best italian accent*

your tone with my friend here is uncalled for, nobody cares about what you have done with you life but you, you think being in the war you can take some poster on a MA board giveing you a hard time...dont make me tell the Godfather

you think someone who supposedly should charge 600.00 a day --what do you actually charge?- would have something a little better to do

Cazzo vai via stronzo

[Szczepankiewicz]

OH yeah holte, egg him on and he WILL come to Boise looking for me!

Which of course, wouldn't be bad, as long as he stops when I tap.


But, you're right, he does seem a little sensitive on the issue of credibility.


We could have one of those ancient samuraii duels where we list all of our accomplishments and the lineage of our ancestors! Talk about a PPV event! 2 hours of mouthing off followed by 30 seconds of gunplay....


Someone oughta sell tickets. And, of course, the Don get's 40% of the take, as usual......

Spanky

[ryanhall]

my favorites,

tao of jeet kune do- bruce lee

1001 streetfighting secrets- sammy franco

the art of war- sun tzu

book of five rings- can't remember (awesome japanese samurai)

in total defense of self- richard dimitri

the gift of fear- gavin de becker

[Szczepankiewicz]

You don't remember ? Some Samurai Guy ????


Blaspheme!!!!

Miyamoto Mushashi

[ryanhall]

You don't remember ? Some Samurai Guy ????

my REVISED list,

tao of jeet kune do- bruce lee

1001 streetfighting secrets- sammy franco

the art of war- sun tzu

book of five rings- Miyamoto Mushashi--a.k.a. awesome japanese samurai

in total defense of self- richard dimitri

the gift of fear- gavin de becker

i beg your forgiveness o wise and powerful schizo, wait, no i don't . thanks for the help though.

[Szczepankiewicz]

Wise and powerful. That sums it up nicely.

You are forgiven!

Spankolicious

[chalambok]

It's About Time

Wow, now I feel accepted. LOL, good points everyone and I stand slightly chagrined. I was beginning to wonder if everything I contributed was going to be accepted at face value just because I have been the personal student of so many 'famous' people. It has always seemed to me that a martial artist is always supposed to question and seek, and never stop growing every which way he can. Spanky (I really am sorry but I can never remember exactly how your name is spelled) you would have been and probably are a good student, inquisitive, obnoxious and most important, yourself. But a true weakness of this type of forum is there are so many posers. I literally was told to come to this forum and help set some issues straight, mainly because someone else was using my name Chalambok. Krabi-Krabong is too important to me to let my name be used incorrectly in association with the Thai National Martial Arts. My teachers and I have had plenty of arguments, not all of them in the Socratic Method, point being I arrived where I am much the same way you are going now. So it is good to argue and come to a midpoint, for isn't that the real purpose of martial arts? Not wanting to get maudlin, here is another good book:

DISCOVER YOUR GENIUS - by Michael J Gelb

[Szczepankiewicz]

chalambok

I must agree. However, all of our differences will be solved in the PPV event! You better start training now.....


As for me, I'll have to forego a few jelly donuts and jump a little rope.

Death to the non sequitur!

Spanky Boi!

[Szczepankiewicz]

Spank and the World Spanks With You! - Szczepankiewicz

My Life in the Shadow of the Don - Szczepankiewicz

Defend Dot Net, The Early Days - Szczepankiewicz

Biscuits Bri Thai and other Holiday Desserts from the Octagon - Szczepankiewicz


Seriously though, I would highly recommend anything by the following:

Loren Christensen Peyton Quinn Alain Burrese Marc MacYoung

And I agree with Bri Thai to read Geoff Thompson's work as well.

These would give you a good idea if what you're doing is really self defense.

The Incredible Spank

[holte2]

Octavious

those books sound good I am going to pick some of those up. thanks...your girlfriend sounds like a friend of mine i havent thought of in years, ...she sent me a Pablo Neruda book when i was at UT studying and stressing over finals...of coures if she would have came up there and gave it up, i would have gotten a lost less stressed out a lot quicker but oh well